Data transfer management in a radio communications network

Abstract

A mobile communications system including a network with a source network node and a target network node that supports a handover procedure, and a mobile terminal that is allowed to access the source network node and access the target network node according to the handover procedure, in which information related to a reception status of user data is delivered between at least two among a group including the mobile terminal, the source network node, and the target network node such that the target network node may receive status information from the source network node and the target network node may receive a status report from the mobile terminal.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of data transfer management for a wireless communications system, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a source base station, a measurement report from a mobile terminal; 
 deciding, by the source base station, a handover of the mobile terminal based on the measurement report; and 
 transmitting, by the source base station, status information to a target base station, 
 wherein the status information comprises first information related to a data unit not received from the mobile terminal on an uplink, and second information related to downlink data transmission from the target base station to the mobile terminal on a downlink. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the source base station, context data of the mobile terminal to the target base station, wherein the context data is to prepare for the handover of the mobile terminal to the target base station. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the source base station, identification information from the target base station, wherein the identification information comprises a new Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) of the mobile terminal. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the source base station, the new C-RNTI to the mobile terminal. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the source base station, a command to the mobile terminal to command the mobile terminal to perform the handover to the target base station. 
 
     
     
       6. A source base station, comprising:
 a Medium Access Control (MAC) entity; 
 a Radio Link Control (RLC) entity connected to the MAC entity; and 
 a Radio Resource Control (RRC) entity connected to the RLC entity, wherein the source base station is configured to: 
 receive a measurement report from a mobile terminal; 
 decide handover of the mobile terminal based on the measurement report; and 
 transmit status information to a target base station, wherein the status information comprises first information related to a data unit not received from the mobile terminal on an uplink, and second information related to downlink data transmission from the target base station to the mobile terminal on a downlink. 
 
     
     
       7. The source base station of  claim 6 , wherein the source base station is further configured to:
 transmit context data of the mobile terminal to the target base station, wherein the context data is to prepare for the handover of the mobile terminal to the target base station. 
 
     
     
       8. The source base station of  claim 6 , wherein the source base station is further configured to:
 receive identification information from the target base station, wherein the identification information comprises a new Cell-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) of the mobile terminal. 
 
     
     
       9. The source base station of  claim 6 , wherein the source base station is further configured to:
 transmit the new C-RNTI to the mobile terminal. 
 
     
     
       10. The source base station of  claim 6 , wherein the source base station is further configured to:
 transmit a command to the mobile terminal to command the mobile terminal to perform the handover to the target base station.